Parenthood
by TheKeyIsLove
Summary: A look into a day in the lives of San and Ashitaka as they deal with bouncy seven-year-old twins, a new baby on the way, and old memories. Pretty much warm, happy fluff. S/A COMPLETE! See my profile for poll on possible sequals


_Okay, this is just a silly little drabble about San and Ashitaka that takes place 11 years after the movie ended. It includes a glimpse at their kids, flashbacks on earlier years in their marriage, and several cute, kissy moments. It's pretty much just fluff._

_**Note:**  
The individual phrases in italics are thoughts. The large sections that are italicized are memories. _

_**Disclaimer:  
**I do not own Princess Mononoke. It belongs to Ghibli records and the genius of Hayao Miyazaki. I am simply an adoring fangirl who can't leave a cute couple alone._

* * *

**Parenthood**

_The sun was shining on Ashitaka's back as he practiced his sword fighting, and San felt the smile on her face grow. She loved it when he went shirtless._

_As if he could feel her gaze on him, he turned. With a smile on his face, he began to walk her way. "What are you smiling at?" he asked quietly when he stood before her, his fingers reaching to play with her hair._

_Wrapping her arms around his neck, San sighed in contentment when she felt his go around her waist. "No reason," she answered. "I just came out here to tell you something."_

"_And what would that be?" he asked, nuzzling her cheek._

_San took a deep breath. "I'm with child." His body froze, and she suddenly worried that he was unhappy. "Ashitaka?" she asked hesitantly, pulling back to look at his face. He seemed to be in shock. "Are you not happy?"_

_Suddenly, he broke out into a grin. "Happy? Of course I'm not happy, San, I'm ecstatic!" Picking her up, he whirled her around, laughing as she squealed. He stopped spinning, but held her close, her head tucked under his chin. "We're going to be parents," he whispered, his voice ringing with awe. "Amazing."_

_San closed her eyes and reveled in his arms around her. Yes, she thought, euphoric. Amazing…_

The peaceful haze of sleep was fading, and the Princess of the Forest couldn't understand why. Then she heard the voices that had roused her.

"Kana! Give that back!"

"No!"

San snuggled underneath her fur coverings, attempting to block out the noise. Just one more hour of sleep, that's all she wanted. Just one more-

"Give it!"

"_No!"_

"MOTHER!"

"Moro, stop shouting. Your mother is asleep," a gentle voice said, stopping the argumant entirely. "Kana, give your sister her doll back."

San smiled. Even after all these years, that calm, authoritive voice never failed to send a thrill through her.

She heard the sound of her daughters' feet as they ran out of the cave, friends once again. For a moment, all was quiet. Then she felt a warm hand in her hair, and gentle lips on her forehead.

"Come on, love, wake up. Even you couldn't have slept through that."

San cracked open an eye to smile at her mate of ten years. "True… but I can pretend, can't I?"

Ashitaka chuckled, ruffling his wife's hair. "Sit up, you need to eat something."

San groaned as she rolled over and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Her gaze landed on her husband as he bent over a pot on the fire, quickly scooping the contents into a bowl.

Her gaze wandered over the contents of their home. She and Ashitaka had long ago come to an agreement to raise their children in an invironment that reflected both of their upbringings. They lived in a large cave in the forest, and slept on animal hides at night. But in the center of the room there was a firepit, and in the corner were utensils for cooking and eating. They bathed in the lake at the bottom of the waterfall, but their towels and clothes were man-made. Eleven years ago, when she had wanted nothing to do with humans, the prospect of living this way would have appalled her. Now it was everyday life.

_That just goes to show you how much you change for love_, she thought as Ashitaka walked toward her.

Ashitaka handed her the bowl and spoon. Then he sat behind her, pulling her to his chest, wrapping his arms around her slightly swollen belly. He felt a rush of excitement roll through him at the thought of having another child.

_Well, that will make three_, he thought. _Unless it's twins again…_

He smiled at that. He was fairly certain that one set of twins was all that his wife could handle.

Resting his head on San's shoulder, he closed his eyes as his mind went back seven years…

_San was sitting in his arms, eyes closed, hands squeezing his as another contraction ripped through her. Ashitaka felt miserable as he watched his wife suffer. Yes, she was adamant about wanting children, but for her to have to go through this much pain seemed entirely unnecessary…_

_Toki rubbed San's knee comfortingly. "Thatta girl," she said. Looking to Ashitaka, she grinned. "Hope you're ready, cuz you're about to become a father."_

_Ashitaka gulped and nodded, causing both San andToki to chuckle at his lack of bravado._

_The next two hours were the longest of his life. He almost broke down in tears twice as he heard San cry out in pain. Then, time seemed to alter entirely. One moment they were in the midst of the throes of childbirth, the next they were watching as Toki washed down the second baby, wrapped her in a soft blanket, and handed her to Ashitaka with a quiet, "Here you go, Poppa."_

_As he gazed down at the tiny infant in his arms, identical to the little girl that San was cradling, he felt the tears build up again. Only this time, they were of joy. And this time, he let them fall freely…_

"Ashitaka?"

He lifted his head to meet San's questioning gaze. "Yes, love?"

San smiled. "I was wondering where you went there for a moment." She scrutinized his face. "Are you feeling well?"

He smiled and kissed her. "I'm feeling fine. Just remembering…" Looking at where his hands still rested above their unborn child, he began to rub tenderly. "Have you thought of any names yet?"

San leaned back against him, shaking her head as she closed her eyes. "No. Though I still wish to name him after my father, if it's a boy."

Ashitaka nodded, and thought for a moment. A cheeky grin spread across his face. "What if it's two boys?" he asked.

"I will not have two boys at once," San said firmly.

"I believe I remember you saying something to that affect before the girls were born," he said cheekily, earning him a glare from his wife.

_The couple had been by the lake, planning on taking a relaxing swim._

"_Have you thought of any names?" Ashitaka asked, helping her into the water._

_San nodded, glancing down at her almost-flat midsection. "I want to name a girl after my mother, and a boy after my father. I have a feeling that it's going to be a girl, though."_

_Ashitaka nodded as he pulled San to him through the water. Wrapping his arms around her, he rubbed their noses together in a wolf kiss. "That's a wonderful idea, love," he said with a smile. San was slightly wary about the mischievous light in his eyes. "But shouldn't you have back-up names? In case there's more than one?"_

_San slapped him over the head playfully as she giggled. "Ashitaka, I will not have twins!"_

_He laughed. "You never know," he teased, before dunking her under._

San felt her cheeks heat up as she remembered the smug expression he had on his face when they had found out that they were expecting twins, and the teasing she received for the following week. "Regardless," she concluded, laying her head back down and closing her eyes, "I will not have twin boys."

Ashitaka kissed her cheek before looking back to her stomach. "Alright. So we have Kahn if it's a boy. What about a girl name?"

San looked up at him. "Well, I was thinking…"

"Yes?"

"You said you had a sister named Kaya?"

Ashitaka smiled sadly. "Yes," he said quietly. "I did."

San rubbed his face with her palm. "I want our child named after her," she said matter-of-factly, as if the matter had been set in stone.

Ashitaka titled her chin up and kissed her, reveling in the knowledge that this kind, thoughtful, brave, beautiful woman was his and his alone.

San closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, resisting the urge to giggle like a little girl. Even after being married for ten years, she still felt giddy whenever he kissed her, as if they were still a young couple, intoxicated by love.

"EW!" two identical voices shrieked.

San and Ashitaka looked up to see their daughters staring at them in disgust. Behind them, two large white wolves were chuckling quietly. Ashitaka stood and told the girls to go make their 'bed'. As they ran to obey, he leaned down to help San stand.

San glared at her brothers. "Oh, hush!" she snapped as she turned and walked to the firepit. She felt strong arms wrap around her and she smiled. Looking up at Ashitaka, she whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, too," he whispered back.

"Father, Moro took my coat!"

"I did not!"

"Yes, you _did_!"

"Girls," Ashitaka said in a warning voice.

San sighed to herself, but as she rested a hand on her growing belly, she had to smile.

_Little one, you are entering a wild family._

She smiled as her eyes met her husband's, who was in the middle of helping the girls fix their bed.

_But definitely a happy one._


End file.
